System for capturing energy from waves in a body of water

Abstract

A system for capturing energy from waves in a body of water comprising: an artificial beach configured to remove water flowing backwards on the artificial beach; a plurality of guide walls each comprising wave actuators configured to convert wave energy to create compressed air; a top guide extending to cover a portion of the artificial beach and configured to create pressure; an air/water reservoir configured to receive high/pressure water flowing from a normally closed check valve in the top guide when the top guide stops the momentum of the waves; a vertical pipe with a bubbler stone configured to create air bubbles to raise water head and a supply of potential energy within a top water reservoir; and a plurality pipes each comprising a turbine generator configured to receive water leaving the top water reservoir to operate the turbine.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for capturing energy from waves in a body of water, the system comprising:
 a generally circular artificial beach moored in the body of water, the artificial beach comprising a sloped surface extending circumferentially from a peak at a center of the artificial beach and lowering gradually into the water at an outer circumference of the artificial beach, a plurality of flexible flaps on the sloped surface, the flexible flaps configured to remove water flowing backwards on the artificial beach; 
 a plurality of guide walls extending radially outward from the center of the artificial beach and perpendicularly to the sloped surface, the guide walls configured to funnel the waves to the center of the artificial beach, the plurality of guide walls each comprising wave actuators configured to convert wave energy to create compressed air, the wave actuators each comprising a plate configured to push a piston in a cylinder of the wave actuator; 
 a top guide extending upwardly and radially outward from the center of the artificial beach to cover a portion of the sloped surface of the artificial beach, the top guide configured to prevent the waves from reflecting energy by stopping momentum of the waves and creating pressure; 
 an air/water reservoir positioned at the center of the artificial beach and fluidly connected to the top guide by a normally closed check valve within the top guide, the air/water reservoir is configured to receive high/pressure water flowing from the normally closed check valve when the top guide stops the momentum of the waves; 
 a vertical pipe extending upwardly from the center of the artificial beach and fluidly connected in parallel to the air/water reservoir downstream of the normally closed check valve, the vertical pipe comprising a bubbler stone, a top check valve positioned in a top of the vertical pipe, and a top water reservoir positioned at the top of the vertical pipe, the bubbler stone configured to create air bubbles within the vertical pipe to raise water head in the vertical pipe and cause water within the vertical pipe to enter the top water reservoir through the top check valve thereby creating a supply of potential energy within the top water reservoir; and 
 a plurality of intake pipes fluidly connected to the top water reservoir, each of the intake pipes comprising a turbine generator configured to receive water leaving the top water reservoir to operate the turbine. 
 
     
     
       2. A method of capturing energy from waves, the method comprising:
 capturing the energy from the waves using the system of  claim 1 .